PACIFIC ISLANDS

Southland Times, Issue 22473, 8 November 1934, Page 7

PACIFIC ISLANDS

HARBOURS ENLARGED ENTRY OF FOREIGNERS BANNED JAPAN’S ACTIONS (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) Geneva, November 6. Mr Ito (Japan), who was cross-ex-amined at the meeting of the Mandates Commission for five hours, did not explain. why destroyers of all nations were not allowed in the recently enlarged harbours of Saipan and Palane, which are strategically placed to give access to Hawaii and the Philippines. Delegates also wanted to know why Japan was subsidizing the building of airports and yet had refused permission to foreign aviators to land. Mr Ito admitted that manoeuvres had been held in the mandated islands, and in view of this foreign visitors were unwelcome. The Anglican Bishop had been refused permission to land at Saipan, though it was in his diocese, because Christian missionaries were not permitted on the islands. Mr Ito admitted that Japan had spent £BO,OOO in 1933 in reconstructing the four harbours.

The Sim-Herald Service says that if the Japanese fortified their Pacific mandates at Bonin Island they would not only explicitly violate Article 4 of the mandate, but Article 19 of the Washington Treaty, which is reinforced by a mandatory article. Such is the British Government’s interpretation of the situation, but it is understood that the British consider they and the other governments have not heard anything sufficiently serious to justify action.